Pedestrian & Bicycle Accidents in Columbus: Your Rights and Next Steps

If you are hit by a vehicle while walking or cycling, call 911 immediately — or ask a bystander to call if you cannot. Pedestrian and bicycle crashes almost always require a police response because the injuries are often serious. When the dispatcher answers, give your location as precisely as possible. Columbus Division of Police responds to crashes within city limits, and the Ohio State Highway Patrol handles incidents on state highways. The responding officer will file an official crash report, which is critical evidence for your claim.

Do not leave the scene, and do not let the driver leave. Ohio law (ORC 4549.02) requires all drivers involved in a crash to stop, provide identification, and render aid. A driver who hits a pedestrian or cyclist and flees commits a hit-skip offense with penalties ranging up to a second-degree felony if the victim dies. If the driver tries to leave, note their license plate, vehicle description, and direction of travel.

If you are physically able, document the scene before anything changes. Take photos of the intersection or road, traffic signals, crosswalk markings, bike lanes, the driver's vehicle (including the license plate), your injuries, your bicycle (if applicable), and any debris. Get the names and phone numbers of witnesses. Eyewitness testimony is often the deciding factor in pedestrian and bicycle crash cases because the driver's account almost always differs from yours.

Pedestrians and cyclists have zero protection in a collision with a motor vehicle. The injuries are almost always more severe than in vehicle-to-vehicle crashes. Common injuries include traumatic brain injuries (even without direct head contact, from the force of impact), broken bones, spinal cord injuries, internal organ damage, road rash, and soft tissue injuries. Many of these injuries are not immediately apparent at the scene due to adrenaline and shock.

Accept emergency medical transport if paramedics recommend it. For serious injuries, Columbus has three Level I trauma centers: OhioHealth Grant Medical Center (Ohio's busiest, evaluating 7,000+ trauma patients annually), Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, and Nationwide Children's Hospital for pediatric injuries. If you decline transport at the scene, see a doctor within 24 hours. Tell the doctor you were struck by a vehicle and describe every symptom — headaches, dizziness, neck or back pain, numbness, vision changes, difficulty concentrating.

The medical record is your most important piece of evidence. It establishes the severity of your injuries and links them directly to the crash. Follow all treatment recommendations, attend all follow-up appointments, and keep every medical bill and receipt. Insurance companies look for gaps in treatment to argue that your injuries are not as serious as you claim or that something else caused them.

Ohio law is clear: drivers must yield to pedestrians in crosswalks. Under ORC 4511.46, when a pedestrian is in a marked crosswalk or an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection, drivers must yield the right of way. Drivers approaching a crosswalk must slow down and stop if necessary. A driver who hits a pedestrian in a crosswalk is almost always at fault.

Pedestrians also have responsibilities. Under ORC 4511.48, pedestrians must not suddenly leave a curb or place of safety and walk or run into the path of a vehicle that is so close it is impossible for the driver to yield. Pedestrians crossing outside of a crosswalk must yield to vehicles. Jaywalking does not automatically bar recovery — Ohio's comparative negligence rule (ORC 2315.33) means your damages are reduced by your percentage of fault, but you can still recover if you are 50% or less at fault.

At intersections with traffic signals, pedestrians must obey walk/don't walk signals (ORC 4511.14). However, even when a pedestrian crosses against a signal, the driver still has a duty to exercise due care to avoid hitting them. A driver who sees a pedestrian crossing against a signal and makes no effort to stop or slow down may be found predominantly at fault despite the pedestrian's violation.

Ohio law treats bicycles as vehicles. Under ORC 4511.55, cyclists have the same rights and are subject to the same traffic rules as motor vehicle drivers. This means cyclists can ride on any road (except limited-access highways), must obey traffic signals and signs, and must signal turns. Cyclists must ride as near to the right side of the roadway as practicable, except when passing, turning left, avoiding hazards, or when the lane is too narrow to share safely.

Drivers must give cyclists at least 3 feet of clearance when passing. Ohio law (ORC 4511.27) requires a safe passing distance, and the commonly applied standard is a minimum of 3 feet. A driver who clips a cyclist while passing too closely is at fault. Drivers must also check for cyclists before opening car doors — dooring accidents are a leading cause of urban cycling injuries.

Ohio has no statewide helmet law for adult cyclists. Minors under certain ages may be covered by local municipal ordinances, but there is no universal state requirement. However, not wearing a helmet does not reduce your legal right to compensation — Ohio courts generally do not allow helmet non-use to reduce damages in personal injury cases. That said, wearing a helmet dramatically reduces the risk of traumatic brain injury. Cyclists must use a front white light and rear red reflector when riding between sunset and sunrise (ORC 4511.56).

When a driver hits a pedestrian or cyclist, the driver's bodily injury liability insurance pays for your medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages. Ohio requires all drivers to carry minimum liability coverage of $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury (ORC 4509.01). Many drivers carry higher limits. The at-fault driver's insurance company is responsible for compensating you — you file a claim against their policy.

If the driver is uninsured or underinsured, your own uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage may apply — even though you were not in a vehicle at the time. Ohio courts have held that UM/UIM coverage can extend to policyholders who are injured as pedestrians or cyclists. If you have auto insurance with UM/UIM coverage, check your policy. If you do not have auto insurance, you may be covered under a household member's policy.

About 12-13% of Ohio drivers are uninsured, according to the Insurance Research Council. If you are hit by an uninsured driver while walking or cycling and you have no UM coverage of your own, your options are more limited. You can file a lawsuit directly against the driver, but collecting a judgment from an uninsured individual is difficult. Health insurance or MedPay coverage on your auto policy may cover medical expenses in the interim.

Ohio's statute of limitations for personal injury claims is 2 years from the date of injury (ORC 2305.10). For wrongful death claims, the deadline is also 2 years from the date of death (ORC 2125.02). These deadlines are firm — miss them and you lose the right to file a lawsuit. Do not assume you have unlimited time to act, especially if you are focused on medical recovery.

Report the accident to your own insurance company within days, even if you were a pedestrian or cyclist and the other driver was at fault. If you have UM/UIM or MedPay coverage, you need to file under your own policy as well. Delayed notice can give your insurer grounds to deny coverage. Keep a file with the police report, medical records, photos, witness contact information, and all correspondence with insurance companies.

Want to understand your options after being hit by a car in Columbus? Get your free Injury Claim Check. You will answer a few questions about your accident, injuries, and circumstances. We will provide a personalized report covering your legal rights, potential claim value, and next steps — and connect you with a Columbus-area attorney experienced in pedestrian and bicycle accident cases. The Injury Claim Check is free, confidential, and takes less time than a phone call with an insurance adjuster.